Shakur Stevenson was stripped of his super-featherweight titles after failing to make weight in New Jersey
(Picture: Getty Images)Shakur Stevenson returns to action tonight against Robson Conceicao in New Jersey.
One of boxing’s most talented and vaunted young champions is back on home soil in Newark... except he is no longer a world champion.
That is because the ultra-gifted 2016 Olympic silver medalist sensationally missed weight on Thursday, tipping the scales at 1.6lbs above the 130lbs super-featherweight limit.
Stevenson was given two hours to lose the extra pounds, but declined and was duly stripped of his WBC and WBO belts, apologising to fans and insisting that he is no longer able to cut down to 130 as he targets his next bout up at lightweight.
That drama means that only Conceicao will be able to win the vacant titles at Prudential Center tonight, though that is an extremely tall order against an opponent of this caliber.
Stevenson is undefeated as a professional at 18-0 and is coming in off the back of a unification victory over Oscar Valdez in May, while he also dominated Jamel Herring last October.
Brazilian Conceicao, meanwhile, is an Olympic gold medalist from his home games in Rio and was bested by Valdez on his only previous world title challenge 12 months ago.
He bounced back with a comfortable victory over Xavier Martinez in January but is the firm underdog here.
How to watch Stevenson vs Conceicao
TV channel: In the UK, Stevenson vs Conceicao is being broadcast live tonight on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Arena.
The main undercard is due to begin at 1am BST, with ring walks for the main event expected at approximately 4am.
